


Roles Reversed

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Drabblers one shots HP [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fights, Lost Love, POV Severus Snape, Short One Shot, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-07
Updated: 2015-02-07
Packaged: 2018-03-10 21:59:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3304886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He couldn’t even tell how often she had come to interrupt his and Potter’s fights. Countless of times, she had come to the rescue, shielding him, yelling at Potter. But now the roles had been reversed. She was facing him; her lovely green eyes burning cold. She faced him, shielding <i>Potter</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Roles Reversed

The off-key tune echoed in the torch-lit corridor. He gritted his teeth, the offensive sound grating on his nerves. His pale hand slipped into the folds of his black, billowing cloak, wrapping around his wand, lovingly caressing it. He rounded the corner and saw him.

He was walking ahead of him. Swaggering along, care-free and cocky as usual, humming that horridly garbled melody.

A flare of disgust always rose deep within him at the sight of James Potter. But now that familiar disgust gave way to sheer rage. Severus had hated Potter all his life, but never as much as in this moment, seeing him right there, in his red Quidditch robes and his broom propped on his shoulder – he looked every inch the self-entitled arse Severus knew him to be.

Severus’ hand was now squeezing the wand so hard his knuckles were white. His shoulders shook, his face darkened, his mouth twisted into a hateful grimace and his black eyes burned.

It was all  _his_  fault, the thought struck him, sudden but crystal clear. If he had just left him alone, that day last summer by the lake… But no, he had to prove his pathetic self-worth by being a right bully; treating him like garbage, his personal punching bag. It  _was_  his fault. If James Potter had left him alone, that traitorous word would never have slithered off his tongue. If James Potter hadn’t attacked him that day, he would still have Lily.

The fury raged in him and before he fully even registered what he was doing, his hand slid out from the pocket of his robes, his arm straightened, his wand poised and at ready. Pointing straight at Potter’s back. Ignorant, unaware, arrogant Potter.

He would never see it coming.

And Severus had a new spell he wanted to try out.

“ _Sectum Sempra_!”

There was something deeply satisfying, in seeing the blood burst from Potter’s back, watching his body collapse onto the stone floor, limp, weak, defenceless. The broom fell with a clatter. Severus revelled in his victory. How sweet it tasted, there was a warm, gloating feeling at the pit of his stomach. Smiling to himself, he slowly drew closer, his wand still poised.

The blood was steadily gushing out from the slash on Potter’s back, staining the stone beneath him in crimson. He contemplated if he should strike again, or simply watch the man he hated bleed out.

Perhaps, to be safe…

The sound of footsteps shook him out of his thoughts. He gripped his wand tighter, instantly alert.

A girl rounded the corner, and stopped when she saw them. Her eyes widened, her face paled, her mouth fell agape. She seemed to take in the scene instantly, and then she was moving, walking straight to where he was standing over Potter’s bleeding body. Her wand was out and her steps were short, decisive –angry. She lifted her wand and cried out a spell, and he was already instinctively forming the shield charm, before he realised her spell had not been aimed at him. On the ground, Potter groaned. The blood was starting to clot around his wound. A healing spell.

‘She always wanted to be a healer’, he thought automatically.

He watched her come closer, unsure what he should do. She walked past Potter, and settled decisively between them.

Severus stared at her. His wand arm still was steady and poised, but inside he felt badly shaken.

He couldn’t even tell how often she had come to interrupt his and Potter’s fights during these years. Countless of times, she had come to the rescue, shielding him, yelling at Potter, demanding him to stop. Countless of times, he had watched her back as she took a stand and defended him.

She met his eyes, and did not say anything. She had no need to. Her stance made her position clear.

And just like that, the roles had been reversed. She was facing him now; the lovely green eyes he had always adored, burning cold and full disgust.

She faced him, standing straight with her shoulders squared. She faced him, her wand relaxed and pointing at the ground, but obviously at the ready; it would only take a second for her to aim it at his heart.

She faced him, shielding  _Potter_.

And then, finally, she spoke, her voice quiet, but hard as steel.

“Go ahead, Snape,” she snarled. “Prove that I was right all along.”

Severus’ face contorted. He stared at her, emotions warring in his chest. He wanted to be angry at her. He wanted to hate her for choosing Potter over him. But all he could feel was pain and a terrible longing.

His hand shaking, he lowered his wand.

She turned her back to him and bent down to care for Potter, to heave him up, to take him to the Hospital Wing.

Severus watched her walk away. His heart shattered as he realised with aching clarity that this has been it.

It had not been that sunny day last summer by the lakeside and the accidental utterance of that fatal word. It was this attack on Potter. It was here and now, that he truly lost her.


End file.
